Presently, integrated circuits, such as microprocessors, are being designed with faster clock rates. For example, "high speed" integrated circuit packages operating at 33 MHz, or at pulse rise times in the order of 1 to 5 nanoseconds are now commercially available and widely used.
Many different types of integrated circuit package sockets are commercially available that cater to a variety of types of integrated circuit packages typically with J-leads and gull-wing leads and configured for QFP, PLCC, DIP and similar type lead formats. While adequate for conventional lower speed integrated circuits, these prior art sockets fail to suppress radio frequency interference produced by higher speed circuits. Such radio frequency interference may result in faulty signals, disrupt clock synchronization and cause the circuit or the system to malfunction.
Another disadvantage of conventional sockets with respect to higher speed circuits is that the signal paths provided by these sockets are not impedance matched to the integrated circuit leads with which they are used. Hence, these sockets fail to provide maximum power transfer from one high frequency circuit to another. These prior art sockets may also cause current and voltage waves to be reflected within signal paths which, in turn, may result in time delays in signal transmission.